Not a great day for Prince, UCLA offense

April 25, 2009

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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UCLA football coaches past and present, Terry Donahue, left, Rick Neuheisel, middle, and Dick Vermiel, hang out together before Saturday's final spring scrimmage at the Rose Bowl. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Orange County Bruins Chad Moline, left, and his brother Chase Moline hang out with their grandparents Lola Russo and Gene Russo, of Dana Point, before the scrimmage. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

UCLA fullback Tobi Umodu, center, is congratulated by teammates Sonny Tevaga, left, and Gavin Ketchum (10) after running for a touchdown during the UCLA Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. Blocking Carter is UCLA offensive tackle Brett Downey (78). ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA cornerback Andrew Abbott (26) reaches in to break up a pass intended for UCLA wide receiver Gavin Ketchum (10) during the UCLA Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA wide receiver Terrence Austin (4) is brought down by UCLA linebacker Steve Sloan (43), to save a touchdown, after Austin caught a pass down field for a long gain during the UCLA Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Former UCLA football players hang out at the Then Now Forever Clubhouse before Saturday's Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. From left to right are: Jim Bonds, last season was 1991, Robert Loigue, last season was 1988, Dion Lambert, last season was 1991, and Huntington Beach resident Mark McGill, last season was 1990. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel decides where to spot the ball during the UCLA Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA quarterback Richard Brehaut (12) releases the ball while under pressure from UCLA defensive tackle David Carter (85). ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA tailback Johnathan Franklin (12) gets a block from teammate Sonny Tevaga during the UCLA Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner (1) tries to out run a diving Nick Ekbatani after intercepting a pass early in Saturday's UCLA Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA football coaches past and present hang out together at the Then Now Forever Clubhouse before Saturday's Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. From left to right are Terry Donahue, head football coach from 1976 - 1995, current head football coach Rick Neuheisel, and Dick Vermeil, head coach from 1974 - 1975. At right is Geoffrey Strand, who can be seen at UCLA football games cheering the crowd on. Terry Donahue asked him to do cheers for UCLA during his tenure, and Strand hasn't missed a game in 35 years. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA fullback Aundre Dean, center, finds a hole in the UCLA defense during the UCLA Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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UCLA defenders Justin Edison, left, and Courtney Viney, right, team up to tackle UCLA tailback Raymond Carter during the UCLA Spring Scrimmage at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Former UCLA football player Warner Benjamin does his best to carry drinks to a table for his friends before the start of Saturday's scrimmage. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

UCLA football coaches past and present, Terry Donahue, left, Rick Neuheisel, middle, and Dick Vermiel, hang out together before Saturday's final spring scrimmage at the Rose Bowl. ARMANDO BROWN, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

LOS ANGELES - Offensive coordinator Norm Chow said he reached a point where he pulled quarterback Kevin Prince aside and asked him if he wanted to call it a night.

Prince, who struggled in UCLA's two previous scrimmages, had misfired on his first six passes and thrown an interception.

"Maybe the whole thing was a little big for him," Chow said of the Bruins' spring game at the Rose Bowl on Saturday in front of an estimated crowd of 12,000. "I told him, 'If this is too big for you, we'll call off the game.' "

It took about five minutes for UCLA to pick up where it left off, whether that be last season or last week's scrimmage: with an interception. Chow actually forgave Prince for that one because tight end Morrell Presley ran the wrong route. Prince took the blame anyway.

"I shouldn't have thrown that ball," he said. "Alterraun (Verner) is sitting right there. Nobody wants to go out there and play the way I did the first few series."

Prince called Chow's gesture "insulting," but it seemed to inspire a mild comeback from the redshirt freshman on the final day of spring camp. He led the offense to a touchdown drive for the first time in a scrimmage, albeit against a combination of the second- and third-team defensive players.

The Bruins again struggled early on offense with the usual culprits at play: dropped balls, poor pass protection and minimal production out of the run game. The defense forced four turnovers, including two in the red zone and was credited with three sacks, although it seemed to have more.

"I think it's evident we have a long way to go," Coach Rick Neuheisel said.

Prince threw a touchdown late in the scrimmage to receiver fullback Tobi Umodu. He finished 11 of 24 for 134 yards with a touchdown and interception. True freshman Richard Brehaut battled similar issues while completing 7 of 14 passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.

"I thought they were a little ragged to begin with but they sharpened up," Chow said. "Initially, it seemed like the balls were being shot-putted.

"It's more the offensive line than anything else."

Neuheisel said he would meet with Chow to discuss the quarterback competition and that he would pick a starter this week.

It would be quite a revelation if Prince, who took every first-team snap in all three scrimmages and for most of spring, did not get the job.

"Prince has a real good handle on what we're doing," Chow said.

NOTES

Senior Kevin Craft went 0 for 5. Running back Milton Knox, working with the second and third units, led the Bruins with 44 yards on eight carries. …

The Bruins were without several players because of injury, including running back Christian Ramirez (hamstring), center Kai Maiava, reserve center Jake Dean (ankle) and fullback Chane Moline (hamstring). …

With its first two centers out, UCLA used lineman Ryan Taylor, Jeff Baca and Nick Ekbatani. All began last week elsewhere on the line.

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